Emmett's Epiphany
by MidnightWalking
Summary: A oneshot of Emmett after he learns Bella is dead, and what happens when he finds out Rosalie called Edward.


**AN: _These characters all belong to Stephenie Meyer._**

_**This is just a short one-shot about Emmett after he learned that Bella was dead and Rosalie's phone call.**_

**Emmett's Epiphany**

When Alice informed us Bella was dead, I couldn't believe it. I ended up running into the forest to be alone with my thoughts.

It was hard enough accepting that Edward had left her, but this new piece of information was even harder to accept. I remember Carlisle telling me, when I was first changed that our not only would I be physically stronger, but that all my senses and emotions would be stronger. Realizing that, I could understand that Edward's emotions were also stronger.

Once I came to accept the fact that Edward really did love Bella, I couldn't for the life of me – even though I didn't really have a life – understand why he didn't change her. If his love were as great as what I felt for Rose, then I would've thought he would want to keep her with him always. The way he explained it to me was that even though his love was that great, her's wasn't. He claimed she only loved him as a teenage girl loved a teenage boy, and in his words, 'It's a weak fleeting emotion that can easily change. I've found most teenage lovers feel more lust than love, and when the lust is satisfied the love dwindles.' Since he read the minds of most teenagers through the past century, I figured he knew what he was talking about; however, when he applied that to Bella, I just couldn't believe he was right. Bella wasn't like other humans, and definitely not like other teenagers. She had proven that time after time by her reactions, not only to us but also to everything that happened to her.

It floored me when Jasper told me about her fears while they were hiding in Phoenix. Like Jasper, I expected her greatest fear would be for her safety, but it wasn't. All she worried about was the safety of everyone else. Hell, she was even worried about Rose's safety and Rose was the one member of the family who wasn't nice to her in any way, shape, or form. I almost laughed when he mentioned her fears for us because we were tracking that vile creature. I wondered why she would have thought we would be in any danger from two low-creatures like that. They were definitely no match for me, and they would never be strong enough to defeat my family because we work together to protect those we cared for and ourselves. Bella should never have feared for us, but focused only on her own well-being. It was only another proof to me that she was not like those adolescents at school. Bella was much more mature than any one her age that I'd ever met.

Still, Edward was convinced that leaving her was the best thing he could do for her. My opinion on the subject didn't count, but when had Edward ever really taken advice from me. Edward kept saying he was a monster and she was an angel. When Edward talked about monster, vampires like James come to mind not Carlisle, Esme, Edward or any of the rest of my family. He kept saying he didn't want Bella to be a monster as he was, but I knew she didn't see him that way. It would be like saying I saw Rose as a monster when I first laid eyes on her or even after I found out what she was; to me what she was didn't matter, she would always be an angel in my eyes, and I honestly believe that how it was for Bella.

I also didn't buy into Edward's theory that Bella would go on with her life after he left. I knew what Edward was going through because of his break up with her. It was easy to learn, all I had to do was ask myself how I would feel if Rose decided to leave me. It would have crushed me, and the pain would've been unendurable. If I realized I would never see her again, I would end my existence completely; however, Edward didn't need to make that choice because he could go back to her. At least that was how I looked at it. I decided when he finally came to his senses or the pain became too great to bear anymore, he would go back to her and beg her to forgive him.

When he finally made that decision, I was going to offer him all the help I could about how to make-up with his girlfriend for being a complete idiot – yeah, he was a complete idiot to leave the only person he would ever love. After all these years with Rose, I had become very experienced at apologizing and humbling myself so that she would forgive me. As I thought about it though, I began to wonder if Bella would even make him apologize because she was a much in love with him as he was with her. I might not be smart like Jasper and Edward, but I had eyes, and I knew what I saw in hers. She loved him as deeply as he loved her. That means she had to be suffering as much as he was suffering, and yes, I knew he was suffering. It would be just how I would feel if Rose walk out and never came back.

'That's why Bella did it!' my mind yelled. She didn't believe Edward would ever come back. The thought upset me enough that I knocked down a few more trees. Sure, from Edwards's perspective, he could go back once the pain became to unbearable, but for her the pain would never end, so she ended it. That's why she did it. 'Oh Bella,' my mind grieved, 'If you would have waited just a little longer.' I wanted to shout that aloud, loud enough that wherever Bella was she could have heard me. I knew she had given up too soon, but I started wondering how long it had felt to her. She didn't look at time the same way we did. For her time was not endless. Did her days drag by in endless loneliness and lose? Did she feel like her world collapsed and she had nothing to look forward to in life? 'You idiot Edward,' I roared inwardly. 'You killed the one thing in is the world that loved you above all the rest; you'll never find that kind of love again. It's lost to you forever.'

Since I couldn't shout to Bella or at Edward, I ran instead. I ran as fast as possible heedless of where I was going, and occasionally, I would hit a random tree as I passed.

When I finally calmed down, I started wondering, 'If I were Edward, what would I do if I learned about the death of the only love I'd ever had in this vast unending existence?' I knew what I would do, but what would he decide to do. Then it hit me. He would do the exact same thing I would consider doing, and that's when my mind instantly replied, 'Off myself.'

I had been walking aimlessly while all these thoughts had been running through my mind, but my last realization stopped me cold in my tracks. That was when I knew exactly what Edward would do and why he couldn't know about Bella's death until we were all there to stop him from doing the inevitable.

I had to return to the house as quickly as possible and make sure no one told Edward about Bella's death. If he found out while he was on his own, there might be no way we could stop him. That would hurt Esme immensely; we all knew Edward was her favorite son, I always wondered if she had used him as a replacement for the son she had lost. A loss so great that it had caused her to jump to her death, just like Bella jumped to her's. I wanted to chide them both for being so weak, but I knew, deep within me, that I would have done the same thing.

I knew Alice had gone to Forks to comfort Charlie, and that Esme and Carlisle were hunting, but Jasper and Rose would still be at the house. I wasn't worried about Jasper, he'd do whatever Alice told him so he wouldn't contact Edward with the news of Bella's death, but Rose . . . well Rose never believed either of them were that much in love.

If anyone were to contact Edward, it would be Rose. I had to make her understand how dangerous that would be and I hoped I wasn't too late. I had been away for over a day at least, enough time for Rose to cause major damage if not stopped.

It took no time at all to reach the house, but as I entered the front door, I saw Rose holding an open cell phone with an angry look on her face.

"Rose?" I inquired as I walked in the door. "What's wrong?" What had I missed while I was gone? Was I already to late? Had Edward already learned of Bella's death? Or had Alice had another vision?

"Edward hung up on me!" she growled.

"He called?" I needed answers and the sooner the better.

"No," she replied as she closed the phone. "I called him." She walked over toward me. "It's time he comes home. I told him so," she was still angry. "This is all so stupid; now that she's dead, we can be a family again. It can be like it was . . ." she stopped abruptly as she reached me. "Emmett, what's wrong?"

"Did you tell him about Bella?" I couldn't hide the anger in my voice.

"He had a right to know," she yelled.

I couldn't believe I was hearing this from her, or that she could be so heartless as to tell Edward about Bella. "Rose, how could you!" I roared. I hadn't realized I was that upset.

Rose was a little shaken as I roared at her, but she pulled herself together quickly and replied softly, "Emmett, he had a right to know. Now he's free to come home." She took my hand but I pulled away from her.

"No Rose, he won't come home. I fear he'll never come home again." I growled under my breath just loud enough for her to hear me.

"Don't be silly Emmett. With Bella gone, we can all go back to the way it was before," she replied lightly.

"What, with everyone having someone except Edward, with Edward always being alone while the rest of us are off with our partners? How can you be so heartless? He loves her; losing her permanently will destroy him. Rose, think about it. If you left me and I would never be able to get you back, how would I react?"

"I don't know; probably get upset and destroy things; maybe go on a rampage of destruction. What does that have to do with Edward?"

"Rose, if I knew you were lost to me forever, I would find the quickest way to end my existence. I can't exist without you, that's how much I love you." I had grabbed her by the shoulders and was practically yelling in her face.

"But Edward doesn't love her like that," she sneered.

I might not be the smartest rock in the pond, but I also wasn't the dumbest, and I always thought Rose was smarter than me. What she just said made me wonder about her intelligence. "Hell, Rose, are you blind? Even I saw how much Edward loved her and how much she loved him. I only just realized why she threw herself off the cliff. I would have done the same if you had left me, except in my case, it would have done no good."

"No, you're wrong. If he would've really loved her he would've changed her!" she yelled.

"Don't you listen when other talk? He didn't change her because he did love her. He left her human because of that love. He wanted her to have a normal human life and not be like us."

Rose was shaking her head like she didn't believe me, or maybe she just couldn't accept that her opinion of the situation was wrong.

"Rose," I shook her, "If I got destroyed, was gone forever, what would you do?" I yelled.

She stood completely still and stared at me. I saw various emotions running across her face, but the dominant one was disbelief. Finally, she whispered, "I don't believe you."

I felt my mouth fall open. I was so shocked by her refusal that I dropped my hands from her shoulders. How could Rose not realize the truth? It was staring her in the face and she was denying it. I had never been this upset with Rose before, but this was something that could harm everyone in the family. If Edward really offed himself, this family would never be the same even I realized that simple fact. I also knew our family would never return to the way it was before Bell entered our world. Maybe it was always fated for Edward and Bella to meet, and with that meeting, our family was fated to change. My hope was that it was fated to change for the better, not the worse. Whether Rose accepted it or not, Bella had affected us all. Somebody just had to shake some since into Rose. As I began to reach for her, she stepped back and her phone rang.

"Hello," she said hastily. "He's not here."

I could tell she was answering a question someone had asked.

"No, but I called him. I told him he could come home; that there was no longer a problem, he could return home, and everything would be as it was before. I told him that Bella was dead." She stopped again to listened to the other person.

"Because he had a right to know; because he needs to come home. Bella's dead now Edward can safely return home. So what's the problem with that?" What ever was said made Rose's face frown. After a moment she asked, "Bella's not dead?" She listened again, and then quickly said, "So Edward will be okay." She paused to listen again, but then said, "He's not going to do something stupid, is he?" Rose's eyes registered shock, and then her voice took on an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry, Alice. I really am sorry; I didn't mean any harm . . . " Alice must have interrupted her for she paused again to listen, and then she was closing her phone.

"Tell me what she said Rose." I said firmly but in a quieter voice.

"Alice said Bella is alive, but that she saw Edward doing something rash." She turned and looked at me. "Emmett, would he really go and get himself destroyed?"

"If he loves Bella as much as I think he does, than yes." I replied.

At that moment, Jasper walked in and asked what all the shouting was about. He had heard me us arguing while he was out in the woods. I quickly informed him of what Rose had done and about Alice's call.

Rose then asked the most important question. "How would he do it? How would he destroy himself?" She clarified.

Jasper turned to me, "He knows you and I wouldn't help. So, who would you go to if you wanted to be destroyed?"

My replied was echoed by Jasper as I said, "The Volturi!"

Rose uttered a heartfelt, "No," as she stared at me. "Emmett, he wouldn't really do that, would he?"

Rose was finally taking me seriously. "Yes, he will, and we had better stop him before it is to late."

"It would destroy Esme if Edward succeeds in this quest." Jasper added.

"It's all my fault. It's all my fault." Rose cried.

I couldn't disagree with her. "Yes it is Rose. That is why you and I will go after him."

Rose just stood and stared at me, almost as if she were in shock. I was in front of her in an instant and I placed my hands on her shoulders. "Get a grip, Rose. We need to stop him and we need to leave now."

"He'll never forgive me for this. It's all my fault. Bella's not dead," she muttered.

I gave her a firm shake. "Snap out of it Rose. We need to go, and we need to go now. I can't wait for you to stop feeling sorry for yourself. We need to stop Edward before it's too late."

That seemed to help for Rose's eyes lost the hazy look. "Now?" she murmured. "We need to leave now," she stepped slowly away from me as if saying those words helped her focus on what was going on.

"Yes, Rose, now." I affirmed.

"Passports, we need to get our passports." She turned and headed out of the room. "I'll get them. I'll get what we need."

After she was gone, Jasper asked, "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yeah, she just needs to come to terms with the fact that she's done something very wrong. It's hard for Rose to admit she's wrong about anything, but this . . . well, this is as wrong as she could ever get, but deep down, she did mean well, at least in her mind. It will take a while, but she'll be okay." I knew what Rose did was very wrong, but I would never have guessed she would really call Edward and tell him about Bella's death. Even I wouldn't have done that because I knew it wouldn't have brought him home. If she would have waited until he came home . . . well, for that matter, if she would have waited until Alice confirmed her vision things would have been different.

"I wonder why Alice's vision was wrong."

"What?" Jasper's surprised looked caught me off guard.

"Sorry, I didn't know I said that aloud. Now that it is out, I was just wondering why Alice's vision was wrong. She was so sure she saw Bella jumping off a cliff. I just wondered what went wrong."

"I don't know, but she did see it; I was there when she had the vision. She was so upset, so sad. She felt like she had lost Bella for a second time. It was hard for her, but she was determined to help Charlie in anyway she could, even if Edward would have forbid it. I'm glad she was wrong. I really like Bella, and I still feel bad about what happened. I'd give anything if I could undo that night. I caused all this really."

"Don't start that again Jasper. You heard Alice. Bella said she didn't hold any of it against you; that she forgave you for what happened. How were any of us to know that Edward would go to the extreme of leaving her? It sure made him miserable. Hell, he made all of us miserable as well, but still, he is our brother, and I can't let him go and get destroyed especially since there is no need."

Rose finally walked back into the room. "I'm ready," she quietly informed me. This was a more passive Rose; I'd never seen her like this before.

"If Alice calls, tell her we've gone to stop Edward. We'll go to the airport first and see if there are any fights out; if not, we'll drive to Seattle and catch a flight from there. If Carlisle and Esme get back before we do, tell them what's happened. We'll keep the cell phone handy in case you need to call us, and do call us if there is any change."

"Take care, and be careful." Jasper said.

"Come on Rose, let go." I grabbed her hand and we rushed out the door. I knew there was a chance we might not come back. If we didn't get there in time, we might suffer the same fate as Edward because the Volturi would think we were there to help him get killed, but I was willing to take the risk; he was my brother, and family helps family.

I drove to the airport in record time, only to discover there were not flights going out today, so we headed back to the car. The phone rang once we were inside the car; Rose answered it immediately as I pulled out of the parking lot.

Rose got no further than 'hello' before she listened intently to whoever was speaking. After a few minutes, she closed the phone and said, "Stop Emmett, we need to go back."

I didn't want to ask why because I was afraid she was going to tell me it was too late. She must have seen the look of loss in my face for she quickly said, "Alice says we can't be of any help. She is on her way to Italy and Bella is going with her. She said only Bella can reach him, and only be seeing Bella will he know that she is really alive. Jasper says we should be at the house with him when Carlisle and Esme come home. She told Jasper this might not turn out well."

"What did she see?" We were back to relying on Alice's vision in order to discover what was going on.

"She wasn't getting any clear vision's because too many decisions were still being made, but Jasper said, even though she didn't tell him this, they might not come back. Not any of them Emmett; if this turns out badly, it will be all my fault."

"Stop it Rose, guilt is the last thing we need now." I was so worried about Alice and Edward that it only then hit me that Bella was going to Italy with Alice. Bella was willing to risk her life to try and save Edward's. She would only do that if she loved him; if he didn't realize that when he saw her, then he would really be a bigger fool than I ever imaged him to be; of course that was only if she reached him in time. Time was going to be a major factor in this entire event. All we could do was wait and hope that Bella and Alice would be in time.

7


End file.
